Cigar bunch cutting mechanism



May 18, 1943 1.. FERENCI CIGAR BUNCH CUTTING MECHANISM Original Filef9 -Jg}, 2, 1957 1 9 M t Z e m K s m W HM .IH a] m 2 J J- F MW A 1 4 a 3 vi). a M w Ira-12:9

INVENTOR LESTER FERENCI BY ATTORNEY May 18, 1943 L. FERENCI CIGAR BUNCH CUTTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 2, 1937 m. N m R Y E E m ov N NR R EE 0 W. W IE A L Patented May 18, 1943 CIGARLBUNCH GUTTING'MECHANISM;

Lester Ferenci, Brooklym. Na Ya, assignor to In;- ternationaLGigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original-application January 2; 1937;- Serial No. 11.8;810: Dividedand thisapplication Decent-- her--12, 1940, Serial No. 369,781?

5 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar bunch machines, more-particularly to long-filler feeds for the same. Its main-objectis to obtain uniformity in'the density of the bunches produced;

Thestream of tobacco formed by 'placing'the. stemmed leaves-in the feed channel of the bunch machine by the attendant is limited bythevertical belts formingthe sides of the channel and hence is constant in'width and-variable in height,

depending on the number oflayers of leaves v width of bunch charges, the' separatedbunch lengths-may be compressed to the required width before being superposed;

To this end, theindividual bunch lengths-are transferred directly from the filler feed, wherein they are cut, to a vertical column either at the top or bottom thereof, and -abunch chargeof predetermined volume and customary thickness isseparated from the column after the same has been-compacted vertically.- The fillerfeed may be of any suitable type.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part 'of thisspecificationand in which like charactersofreferenceindicatethe same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a chine embodying my invention; and

Fig; 2 is a detail viewon line -2=2"of Fig. 1.

The stream of tobacco T is advancedon to a tilting platform l1 when the same is in its upper position IT, shown-in dotted linesin- Fig. 1,; at the --outer end of a discharge chamber formed by stationary side walls l8,- l8 and abottom plate (not shown) aligned with thechannel formed by bolts (not shown). Theplatform -11 is-mounted on an arm 2B pivoted on a shaft 1! supported by the frame 22 of-the'machine. The arm is connected by -a'rod 23 with a lever24 fulcrumed-on a shaft 25 and having a ro1ler26 held against a plate-cam Z'Ion cam shaft 28by a spring-29anchored to the frame of the-machine; and connected to the arm 20'. j

Whilethe feed belts are stopped,- aclamparm 3ll- 'pivoted on shaft 2i and actuatedby acam 1ever3l connected toarm 30-:by-arod 32; descends-upon the'streamoi -tobacco T previously cigar bunchmaadvanced 'on platformi'l 'and :holds it in place while-a corrugated cutter 33 severs. a bunch length T. Theconfiguration of the cutter is such that it will trimthe end of the severed bunch length tothe shape suiting the particular taper of thecigar bunch end-and the adjacent end ofthenext bunch length issimultaneously shaped, as is well knownin the art. The underlying'edge of the platform .has a portion which is cutaway to conform to the configuration of the knife. The lever=3lais actuated by an arm 34-faston its fulcrum shaft 35 and carrying a roller 36: held against a plate cam 31 on shaft 28' -by atensionspring 38 .having oneend fas- -tcned onshaft 2! and its other end engaging the arm 30; The cutter 33: is adjustably fastened in aholderifiattached to aslide .48 reciprocating in frame 22; th'esaid slide having a trunnion 4| engaging allever 42 fulcrumed on shaft 25 and provided with :a-roller 43 m engagement with a cam-track-44 inthe. rear surface of cam 55.

After-severanceotthe bunch length T, the platform i1 is.-swung:by thelever 24 into its lower position shown in full lines, and the arm 30- is similarly actuated: by its cam lever 32, whereupon a rake -46-resting on the platform and swinging on a "pivot 41 on the end of an arm 18pushes-the charge '1" into position T" on a forked-plate49.- The-arm:48is actuated by a cam-lever-50 fast on its-fulcrum shaft 5i and carrying a-roller filheld against a plate cam 53 on shaft ZB-byan-adjustable weight carried by a rod 54 fast'on sh'aft5i. If desired the width of the--filler-stream may-exceed the width of the bunch-charges andthe rake 45 may be actuated to compress thebunch lengths to'the desired width; Bywirtue of this arrangement a thinner stream of J filler tobacco-may be utilized, wherefore the attendantmay build up the'filler stream more rapidly and runtheunachine at a higher speed.

Following-the. ejectionof the bunch. length. T", the platform IT, clamp armfill and rake 4:? return to their initial'positions ll, 36'. and 25', respectively, shown in dotted lines. The cam shaft 28 hasa sprocket 55 continuously driven by a chain 56 from a sprocket 51 on the drive shaft 58, which is: driven from the main drive of the machine by a sprocket 59.. and chain 6%, con nectedto the main drive of the machine.

Theprongs-of plate 49 project through slots in theside walls of the-vertical chamber it; as shown in Fig. Land the plate is fastened to a block 6! attached to horizontal rods 5: 2 slidable twin-a member-63 carriedby parallel links 84, M

and 85, 65' pivoted on a bracket 86 attached to frame 22 and assuring a parallel up and down motion to member 63. The slots in the side walls of chamber I6, for the reception of the prongs of plate 49, extend only partially from the top of the chamber, the lower portion of the same being left solid. To arm 64 is attached a rod 6'! connecting the same with a cam lever 88 which has a roller 69 held against a plate cam 10 by a spring II. On the block BI is pivoted a link I2 which is connected to a stud 13 on a bell crank lever I4 fulcrumed on shaft 2 I, the lever 12 being actuated by a cam-operated rod 15 from a cam (not shown).

The plate 49 after having received the bunch length T is normally depressed into its lowermost position by the descent of rod 81 and is then slid out of chamber I8 by the action of rod I on lever 14 which pulls the lever I2 from position 12' to position 12". The subsequent ascent of rod 6'1 raises plate 49 back to its normal level, and the ascent of rod 15 restores the same to its receiving position on that level.

Upon retraction of the plate 49, the bunch length T, if the chamber I6 has not been filled as hereinafter described, drops upon a slotted plate 76 which forms the bottom of a horizontal chamber 'I'I below the open Vertical chamber I9. Adjacent the bottom of chamber I6 is mounted a horizontal knife blade I8 attached to a plate I9 which is vibrated or reciprocated longitudinally with the knife blade by a connecting rod 89 attached to the plate by apin fastened to the plate and connected to a crank 8| rotated by a shaft 82 driven by gears 83 from a shaft 84. An arm 85 linked to a rod 88 actuated by a cam lever 81 is fastened to a sleeve 88 in which the shaft 82 turns, the sleeve being supported by a stand 89 fastened to the bed of frame 22, and carries the head 90 whereon the plate I9 is slidably mounted. Since the aforesaid crank 85 is clamped to sleeve 88, it swings the entire unit laterally to and fro. Behind the knife I8, in the horizontal plane of its rotation, is a segmental follower plate 9I mounted on support 90.

The knife 18 separates a bunch charge B from the column T" and the thickness of the stream of tobacco whence the bunch lengths are severed, is maintained by the attendant to supply bunch lengths having a greater quantity of tobacco than required for one bunch. The separated bunch charge is then pushed by a plunger 92 into a movable charge transfer 93, of well known construction, such, for instance, as shown in Patent No. 1,838,192, issued December 29, 1931 to R. E. Rundell, which delivers the same to the rolling apron 94. The plate 9I, which partakes of the swinging motion of the knife I8 but not of its reciprocating motion, supports the tobacco column in chamber I5 after the bunch charge B has been out and until the plunger 92 has delivered the bunch charge to the charge transfer and returned to its starting position. At this time the plate SH and the chamber 11 maintain the separated bunch in compacted condition while it is advanced into the charge transfer. The plunger 92 has an arm passing through the slot in plate I6 and attached to a slide 95 mounted on a pair of rods 98 supported by a standard 89, and the slide 95 is moved into position 95' to push the bunch charge into the charge transfer and then back, by a cam-oper ated lever 91.

The surplus tobacco from bunch length T",

' after the return of plunger 92 and knife 18 into their starting positions, drops on plate I8 and is augmented by the next bunch length and brought down by plate 49, the accumulation of these surpluses causing the height of the tobacco column in chamber I8 to gradually rise. When the height of this column has risen above the unslotted portion of chamber I6, the plate 49 can no longer descend to the bottom but stops when it has compacted the tobacco column to a density determined by the tension of spring II, the remainder of the stroke of lever 68 being absorbed by the stretching of the spring 'II which permits the roller 09 to be lifted off cam I0. In practical operation, the blade I8 and plunger 92 are preferably not set into action until the plate 49 has delivered enough bunch lengths to fill the unslotted portion of chamber I6, so that the first bunch charge actually used for production is separated from a compacted tobacco column.

When the height of the tobacco column in chamber I6 is low, an adjustable stop screw 98 carried by an arm 99 fast on the fulcrum shaft I00 of the arms 64 and 64' engages with a detent or latch IOI fulcrumed on a stud I02. This latch is urged by a spring I03 into a position wherein it retains a curved arm I04 pivoted on a stud I05, in its normal position shown. To the arm I04 is fastened a semi-circular cam piece I08 on which rides a roller I01 carried by a pawl I08 pivoted on an arm I09 loosely mounted on a shaft I I0, thereby normally holding the pawl away from a ratchet III fixedly mounted on the shaft IIO against the tension of a leaf spring II2 bearing against the pawl I08 and anchored to arm I09 (Fig. 1). The shaft IIO carries a bevel gear II3 which drives abevel gear II4 on the shaft I5 which controls the feed of tobacco T as heretofore described.

On the arm I09 is pivoted a link I I5 provided with a slot receiving a pin II6 of a crank III fastened on drive shaft 58, the slot being elongated sufficiently to provide lost motion of the link so that the arm I09 may be vibrated at the desired intervals.

When the detent Iiil is tripped by the screw 98, the arm I04 is pulled by a spring II8 against a stop II9, thereby turning the cam piece I06 into the dotted position whereupon the spring II2 presses the pawl I08 into engagement with the ratchet III which thus partakes of the next forward stroke of arm I09. The turning of ratchet III causes the shaft IIO to transmit motion to countershaft I5 which in turn rotates the sprocket I4 which drives the feed belts (not shown).

But when the column in chamber I6 has risen beyond a certain predetermined height, which in .the present embodiment of the inventioncorresponds to the height of the unslotted portion of the chamber, the downward motion of plate 49 is stopped by the column before the screw 98 trips the lever IOI. The pawl I88 therefore remains in its ineffective position and no tobacco is fed during that cycle of the machine. The platform N then descends empty and no additional tobacco is delivered to chamber I6 until the height of the column has fallen below the critical height upon removal of the required number of bunch charges to the charge transfer. The screw 98 is so adjusted that the tripping height of the column is somewhat more than one charge-height above the lowermost possible position of plate 49, so that the minimum height of the column upon charge removal following a feedless cycle will remain above the unslotted portion of the chamber and the column will be subjected to the pressure of plate 49. This pressure, which is regulated by adjusting the tension of spring II, controls the tobacco density in chamber 11 after the lower portion of chamber I0 has been filled to the tripping height, so that bunch charges B of uniform density are obtained by this arrangement.

The inner face of cam piece I00 is provided with a raised portion I20 engageable with a finger I2I pivoted on arm I09 and held against a stop therein by a spring I23. During the forward motion or" arm I09 the finger I2I by virtue of the yielding of spring I23 passes under the projection I20, but on its backward motion is maintained in engagement with the projection by the stop I22, and thus raises the cam piece into pawllifting position, thereby resetting the trip lever IOI which then is-ready for the next cycle.

The charge transfer 93, which is controlled by suitable mechanism I24 of well known type, for up-and-down motion, and by mechanism I25 of conventional construction, for swinging the same around'its horizontal axis, delivers the bunch charge 13 into the loop of the rolling apron 94 attached to a table I26 on which the same is rolled within a binder by a rolling pin I21 in a well known manner, to form a bunch. The named mechanisms are automatically operated in synchronism with the feed mechanism herein described.

As stated above, each bunch length T delivered by the tobacco feed should contain at least as much tobacco as is required for one bunch charge B. For high speed operation, this ratio can be increased to two or more times this quantity, so that the feed belts will operate intermittently every second bunch, thereby affording the operator more time for feeding. While the invention has been described in connection with the production of long filler cigar bunches, it will beunderstood that it is applicable to scrap bunch cigar machines.

This application constitutes the division of my co-pending application, Serial Number 118,810, filed January 2, 1937, on which Patent No. 2,255,051 was issued September 9, 1941.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, thecombination with members for supporting a vertical column of laminated cigar bunch lengths having corrugated ends, of means for compacting said column vertically to a predetermined density, a horizontal cutter adapted to sever said column horizontally to separate a bunch charge therefrom, mechanism for advancing said cutter horizontally through said column lengthwise of the laminated bunch lengths to sever a bunch charge, means for vibrating said knife horizontally while it is being advanced through said column, and mechcorrugated ends from a stream of long filler to-.

bacco and superimposing the severed bunch lengths to form a vertical column of tobacco, the combination with members coacting to compact said column vertically to a predetermined density, a horizontal cutter having a cutting edge provided with a straight portion extending obliquely relative to the column and adapted to en age a corner of the column and then traverse tli'eilo'wer end of the compacted column and thereby'separate a bunch charge from the column, a horizontal plate arranged behind said cutter and horizontally aligned with the cutter to enter between the severed charge and the remainder of the column,

and mechanism for simultaneously moving said cutter and plate edgewise horizontally through the column to cause said cutter to separate' -a bunch charge from the column and advance said plate between the separated bunch charge; and

the remainder of the column and maintain said plate in a position supporting the remainder of the column.

3. In a cigar machine having mechanism for severing cigar bunch lengths having corrugated ends from a stream of long filler tobacco and superimposing them to form a vertical column of tobacco, the combination with means for compacting said column vertically, of a support, means for moving said support horizontally, a horizontal knife having a cutting edge extending obliquely of said column and mounted on said support=in position to traverse the column when said support is moved horizontally and thereby sever a charge from the column, and means for transferring the severed charge to bunch rolling position followingthe separation of a charge from the column by said knife.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for compacting a supply of tobacco, of a cutter adapted to separate a charge from the compacted supply of tobacco, means for moving said knife edgewise transversely of its length through the compacted supply of tobacco to sep arate a charge therefrom, mechanism for imparting a straight line motion to=said knife in a direction which is lengthwise of the knife while it is traversing the column, and means for transferring the-charge tov bunch length position following the separation of a charge from the tobacco supply by said knife.

5. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for compacting a vertical column of to.- bacco consisting of laminated bunch lengths having corrugated ends, of a cutter provided with a cutting edge having a straight portion extending obliquely of the column and adapted tobe moved edgewise horizontally into engagement with one corner of the column and then through the remainder of the column to separate a charge therefrom, a member on which said knife is supported, means for moving said member to cause said knife to traverse the compacted tobacco column horizontally and sever a bunch charge therefrom.

LESTER FERENCI. 

